Grr! Steepster ate my tasting note. :( I knew I should have copied it before I hit save.

Anyway, I got a box full of awesome today, from the lovely Miss Claire. I smelled all the unsealed teas and had a really hard time picking one to try first. I ended up with this pu’erh…my very first. (OMG, PU’ERH VIRGIN.)

Dry: Orange! Yum yum. Hubby said “YES! Make this!”

Rinsed, then made a 15-second 1st steep, which I gave to the husband.

Then I made a 2nd 15-second steep for myself.

Aroma: Musky earth and an undertone of sweet orange. This will sound unflattering, but there’s a brand of pump soap I’ve used in public restrooms that has a very similar scent profile, only this is cleaner, organic, calm.

Finish: Slight cooling effect that lingers on the palate for a long time. Also, I feel effing fantastic. What is this? Is my tea spiked? :O

In summary: Great first pu’erh! I’m intrigued and very satisfied. Teas like this are the reason for tea ceremonies. I can’t even imagine just tossing back a cup of this without a thought, like I would a coffee or breakfast black.

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I am a coffee convert; the 5+ cups of strong coffee I used to drink every day has trickled down to 1-2 cups a week, if a pot’s already brewed and I’m feeling lazy. Otherwise, tea all the way!

It’s been a few months now, which is enough for me to know that everyone likes different things about their cup. Personally I like my teas the way I like my men—strong and naked, with no artificial flavors or preservatives. Also dry, and in a tin. Hah!

Life is interesting and occasionally irritating. Because of this, I am sometimes laser-eyed, but a nice cup of tea usually helps.